asked the Secretary of State for War what establishment of helicopters for the Army has now been agreed; and how many of these machines have been delivered to date.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many helicopters are available for the use of the British Army at home and overseas.

Thirty-eight helicopters are now employed to meet the Army's requirements. Of these 24 are provided by the Royal Air Force and 14 by the Royal Navy. About 100 R.A.F. helicopters are now on order.No firm establishment has yet been agreed upon for the Army but a joint R.A.F./Army experimental unit is being formed which will be commanded, paid for and controlled by the Army. The object of this unit is to study the use of helicopters as a means of providing greater mobility for the Army in the field.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement about the raid on the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers' depot at Omagh on 17th October; and whether he is satisfied that the security arrangements are now such as to ensure that no similar raid in the future would have any chance of success.

Yes. Early on the morning of 17th October an armed party of about 12 men raided this depot. Prompt and aggressive action was taken by the guard and the raiders fled, leaving some weapons behind. It is known that two of them were wounded. Nothing was taken from the depot and, although five of our men were hurt, I am glad to say that all are progressing satisfactorily. A subsequent search in conjunction with the police has led to the arrest of eight men.One cannot guarantee that any future raid will fail but this incident is far from discouraging.

asked the Secretary of State for War why he has discontinued the regular shipment of stores from Sunderland to Hamburg; and whether, in view of the effect upon the Port of Sunderland, he will reconsider the matter.

I am sorry that the Port of Sunderland should lose this traffic, since it has served my Department well in the past. These stores come from the Army depot in Paisley, and arrangements have now been made to ship them through Leith, which is nearer.

asked the Secretary of State for War what estimate he has made of the numbers of troops that will become available for other purposes as a result of the reduction in military commitments in Egypt, Trieste and Korea.

I cannot, for security and other reasons, give the right hon. Gentleman the exact figures. These reductions will, however, enable us to go some way to making good the deficiencies caused by the rundown of the Army's manpower and also to create a strategic reserve in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the Report of the Tariffs Committee issued by the Silk and Rayon Users' Association, a copy of which is in his possession; and what action he proposes to take on it

Yes. We have discussed this Report with the Silk and Rayon Users' Association. I understand that they are giving further consideration to the matter in the light of these discussions and will then communicate again with my right hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the report of the committee on the censuses of production and distribution; and what action he proposes to take.

This Report was published today and copies are available in the Vote Office.The Government accept in full the committee's recommendations for the continuation of censuses of production and distribution. A number of changes in census procedure are suggested to reduce the burden on the business community and improve the effectiveness of the censuses, and these will be brought into operation as soon as practicable.Her Majesty's Government wish to express their gratitude to the members of the committee for producing such a valuable and constructive Report, which we hope will be accepted by industry and trade generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps have to be taken before this country can ratify the Universal Copyright Convention, signed at Geneva on 6th September, 1952; and whether he is now prepared to proceed towards ratification at the earliest possible time.

Legislation would be necessary to enable copyright protection to be conferred on the published works of nationals of Convention countries irrespective of the place of first publication of those works. I cannot say when it will be possible to introduce such legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been drawn to the comments of the Committee of Public Accounts on the extent to which grants to the Arts Council are spent in London; and if he will consult with the Arts Council to ensure that greater and proper proportions of these grants are spent in the provinces.

My right hon. Friend has read these comments, but he would not wish to interfere with the discretion of the Arts Council in apportioning its resources. I understand that the Council is this year spending outside London a much larger percentage of its expenditure on opera and ballet than in 1952–53.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the purchasing value of the pound sterling as compared with the corresponding date in 1951.

The purchasing power of the £ sterling is estimated on the basis of the latest available figures to have been 18s. 7d. in September, 1954, compared with 20s. in September, 1951. This estimate is based on the price index for all consumer goods and services between 1951 and 1953, and the Interim Index of Retail Prices thereafter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate by how much, in total cash per annum, wages in Britain have risen since 1948.

The estimated total amount of wages paid in the United Kingdom increased from £4,160 millions in 1948 to £5,770 millions in 1953—a rise of £1,610 millions. These figures are given in Table 2 of "National Income and Expenditure 1946 to 1953," published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to amend the provisions of the Industrial Assurance Act, 1923, with regard to surrender values.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on Thursday, 21st October.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Air Pollution Committee.

Yes. I understand that the Committee has now nearly completed its final report.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have adopted the policy of selling council houses; and what is the total number of houses that have been sold.

In the last two years 235 local authorities in England and 12 in Wales have exercised their powers to sell council houses. About 2,440 such houses have been sold.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have now agreed to operate the scheme proposed by him for house buying loans; how many have refused to do so; and how many have not yet come to a decision on the matter.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the guarantee schemes suggested for use under Section 5 of the Housing Act, 1949. Out of 1,531 housing, authorities in England and Wales, 621 have so far decided to operate these schemes. Thirty-one have stated that they are unwilling to do so. The remainder have not yet stated their policy. In addition, the great majority of housing authorities are exercising their powers to make advances for house purchase.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce amending legislation to the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, to make it legally obligatory upon the part of landlords to have stated on their tenants' rent books the gross rateable value and the statutory deduction of the premises they are occupying.

Should it be thought desirable to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion, no new legislation would be needed.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what reply he has given to letters of complaint sent to him by tenants of houses flooded in the winter of 1953 whose landlords are now claiming rent increases by reason of repairs and redecorations carried out on those houses after the floods but paid for by donations to the landlords from the Lord Mayor's National Flood and Tempest Distress Fund;(2) whether he will introduce legislation at an early date to amend the First Schedule to the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, by adding to work to be disregarded for the purposes of that Schedule work the cost of which has been paid for by donations to the landlord from the Lord Mayor's National Flood and Tempest Distress Fund.

This matter has only just been brought to my notice and I should like time to look into it further.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Governmen whether he will make a statement on the subject of local government reorganisation, in view of the concern of local authorities in this matter.

Yes, but not today.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what reply he has made to the Cardiff City Council's resolution, a copy of which has been sent to him, expressing disappointment at his decision not to grant some financial assistance to Cardiff under the Exchequer Equalisation Grants.

The receipt of a copy of the council's resolution has been acknowledged. A further reply will be sent when the statements contained in the resolution have been fully considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the continued apprehension in the minds of members of local authorities concerning droughts; and what steps are being taken to provide facilities for the conservation of our supplies of drinking water.

There are a great number of water schemes which have been asked for, and the cost is very high. It is not, therefore, possible to proceed upon them all at once.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has for the removal of Covent Garden Market to another site.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will announce his findings following the recent inquiry into the route of the Pennine Way, near Longdendale Reservoir.

My predecessor sought the views of the National Parks Commission as required by statute. I hope to be in a position to announce a decision soon after receiving their reply.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on the present position in the Suez Canal Zone, with special reference to the progress of evacuation.

The situation in the Suez Canal Zone remains quiet and the Egyptian authorities are giving us their full co-operation. My hon. Friend will have seen from the terms of the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement, signed on 19th October, that the withdrawal of United Kingdom Forces from the Canal Zone is to be completed within 20 months of that date.

asked the Minister of Defence what estimate he has made of the annual expenditure which Her Majesty's Government will have to meet on the ratification of the London Treaty.

I should be grateful if the hon. Member would await the statement which I propose to make to the House tomorrow on the financial implications of the recent London and Paris Agreements.

asked the Minister of Defence his estimate of the number of National Service men that will be required for the military commitments under the London Treaty.

Our undertaking in the Final Act of the London Nine-Power Conference neither increases nor diminishes the size of our Forces now on the Continent of Europe nor consequently the National Service manpower required for them.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will now consider allowing widows to earn over 40s. a week without reduction of widows' pension.

The National Insurance Advisory Committee is at present reviewing the widowhood benefits of the scheme, and my right hon. Friend cannot anticipate its report.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many families in the boroughs of Dartford and Erith as well as the urban district of Crayford are receiving regular grants from National Assistance; and how this compares with 1951.

It is regretted that the precise information asked for is not available. From the Board's area offices at Dartford and Bexley Heath, which cover the borough and rural district of Dartford, the boroughs of Gravesend, Bexley and Erith, and the urban districts of Swanscombe, Northfield and Crayford, 9,317 regular weekly allowances of National Assistance were being paid last September compared with 7,843 in September, 1951.

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, in view of the increasing cases of hardship among elderly recipients of non-contributory pensions, what consideration has been given to increasing the allowances.

I am not aware of cases of hardship among non-contributory pensioners who are already subject to a test of need and can if necessary apply to the National Assistance Board for supplementary assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement regarding Her Majesty's Government's policy on bringing the United Kingdom into closer association with the European Iron and Steel Community.

I would refer to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. and learned Member for Brigg (Mr. E. L. Mallalieu), to which I have at present nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total sum payable by the West German Treasury over the last two years for occupation costs; what balance has accrued from the unexpended portions of that sum; and how is that balance to be used.

Since April, 1952, the German Federal Government have made funds available to the three Powers in Germany as occupation costs at a monthly average maximum rate of DM600 million, or approximately £600 million a year. The share of this total made available to the British Zone for the British forces and other forces located in the zone has been fully taken up and either spent or committed to meet specific payments in future.The German Federal Government has undertaken that funds made available and committed to meet the cost of orders placed in one period would remain available to meet bills falling due as those orders were completed in a subsequent period. The latest accurate figure available on account of the British Zone is DM 992 million at the 30th of June, 1954. I have no information as to the amounts available on account of the United States and French Zones.These funds can only be used to pay bills presented for goods and services already ordered or supplied, or capital works for which firm requirements have been placed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to deal with numerous complaints already being made about the release of fireworks in London long before 5th November.

It is an offence to let off fireworks in streets or public places. The Metropolitan Police pay particular attention to the matter at this time of year, and I am satisfied that they make full use of their powers to abate nuisances caused by fireworks.

asked the Minister of Education how many grammar school pupils left school in July, 1954, without obtaining the general certificate of education; and how this compares with 1951, 1952 and 1953.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Education the numbers of classes in primary schools of over 40 and over 50 pupils, respectively, at the latest convenient date; and the comparable figures for 1951.

In January, 1954, the number of classes in maintained and assisted primary schools (other than nursery and special schools) with over 40 pupils on roll was 41,013. Of these, 1,154 had over 50 pupils. The comparable figures for January, 1951, were 31,520 and 1,057.

asked the Minister of Food the weekly cost to the taxpayer in making up the guaranteed price in respect of cattle, sheep and pigs, respectively, to the latest convenient date.

Guarantee payments made to 15th October, 1954, in respect of cattle, sheep and pigs certified during the 11 weeks ended 12th September, 1954, averaged £157,000, £312,000 and £663,000 a week respectively.

asked the Minister of Food the average price of tea per pound before derationing; and if, in view of the price increases since June last, he will introduce a control ceiling on prices of tea.

The average retail price of tea in October, 1952, was 4s. 6½d. per lb. Effective price control with a ceiling would require a return to Government buying, subsidies and rationing; I do not propose to reimpose these.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions have been given to hospital boards about the purchase of properties they do not need; and if he is aware that local services have been delayed or reduced by such purchases.

Hospital boards are required to provide a full statement of need in connection with any proposals for buying property and approval is given only where a clear need is shown, and arrangements have been made to follow up all purchases to ensure that property bought is brought into use quickly for the purpose authorised. I am not aware that the boards' actions have generally had the effect suggested.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the steady increase in the age of mortality and the growing need for the largest possible production, he will amend the terms or conditions under which people voluntarily or compulsorily retire from employment.

We are doing all we can to encourage the review of present arrangements wherever necessary to enable older workers to remain at work so long as work is available and they can give effective service, though my right hon. and learned Friend cannot impose rules on the matter. This policy, recommended by the Committee on the Employment of Older Men and Women has been approved by industrial organisations generally and as a result there is a slow but steady increase in the number of jobs available for older men and women.

asked the Minister of Labour to show, in tabular form, the number of registered employers of dock labour at the principal ports in which the National Dock Labour Board scheme operates.

The figures are: